China is the country with the largest population in the whole world. The following table presents its population structure and changes in the past 15 years, form 1978 to 2005.
Notes:
Data in this table does not include the population of Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan Province.
Data before 1982 were taken from the annual reports of the Ministry of Public Security. Data in 1982-1989 were adjusted on the basis of the 1990 national population census. Data in 1990 – 2000 were adjusted on the basis of the 2000 national population census. Data in 2001 – 2004 is estimated on the basis of the annual national sample surveys on population changes. And data in 2005 is estimated on 1 % national sample population survey.
Total population and population by sex include the military personnel of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, and the military personnel are classified as urban population in the item of population by residence.
